Liposuction is a Body Contouring surgery that removes localized excess fat from between the skin and muscle. This is accomplished through a suctioning process. A metal tube, called a cannula, is inserted into the fat deposits through a small skin incision. The cannula is connected to a suctioning machine that then removes the excess fat from the body.

Liposuction is not a substitute for weight loss. Rather, it is a technique used to remove excess fat from isolated areas that do not respond to diet and exercise.

Liposuction can remove fat from many different areas of the body, including:

Thighs

Hips

Abdomen

Buttocks

Breasts

Waist

Upper arms

Neck

With liposuction, the most frequently treated areas in women are the outer thighs and stomach. In men, the most frequently treated area is the "love handles."

Who is a good candidate for liposuction?

Generally, the best candidates for liposuction are people of normal weight who have localized areas of protruding fat. However, persons who are slightly overweight might also benefit from liposuction.

In addition, the best candidates:

Have firm, elastic skin

Are physically and psychologically healthy

Have realistic expectations

Age is not a major factor with liposuction. However, older people tend to have decreased skin elasticity and, thus, may not achieve as good a result from liposuction as younger people with tighter skin.

People with medical problems - such as obesity, uncontrolled high blood pressure, diabetes, poor circulation, heart disease, lung disease, or other severe medical problems - are not candidates for liposuction.

What happens during the actual liposuction procedure?

Depending on the patient and the treatment area of the body, the liposuction procedure can be performed under general anesthesia or local anesthesia combined with sedation.

For most people, the surgeon injects a wetting solution into the treatment area. The solution is mostly salt water, but also contains epinephrine (a medication that shrinks blood vessels), which acts to decrease bleeding and bruising and a local anesthetic to decrease pain.

After the wetting solution has been injected, the surgeon makes a small cut in the skin and the cannula is inserted through the cut into the area of excess fat. The cannula is attached to a suction machine. By moving the cannula back and forth through the fat, the surgeon can remove the fat. After the procedure is completed, the incisions are closed with a few stitches.

Will liposuction reduce cellulite?

Cellulite is a collection of fat that causes the skin to look lumpy or dimpled. Liposuction will not improve cellulite. In fact, it could even make cellulite worse.

What are the risks of liposuction?

Liposuction is generally a safe surgical procedure. However, as with any surgery, it does have the potential for complications. Occasional risks of liposuction include bleeding, a reaction to the anesthetic, noticeable irregularities in body contour, and prolonged swelling.

Rare complications of liposuction include infection, nerve damage, damage to the intestines (during abdominal procedures), blood clots (especially in women taking birth control pills), skin tissue death (especially in smokers and people with diabetes), fluid in the lungs, and shock.

The risks of liposuction increase if too much fat is removed, if there is inadequate monitoring after removal of a large volume of fat (greater than 10 pounds), if too much fluid is injected, if too many surgical procedures are done at one time, and if the patient is in poor health.